During the 2nd WW the ship was adopted by Beckenham, Kent. As the sister of Lt Cmdr P Vian (Later Admiral) – Marian Vian had a school in Beckenham named after her. Reg Morrison passed the 11 plus whilst attending in 1942. A plaque marking the adoption was put up in the town hall. This building was demolished in 1991 to make way for a supermarket. The area is now under the London Borough of Bromley.

HMS Cossack F03

Ships Company

Start typing to discover family names.

Rank: Chief ERA

Remarks: Chief ERA. October 1939 to March 1940?

Pay Book Number: P/SX 168646
Rank: Ordinary Seaman

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman. P/SX 168646. Onboard at October 1939. Born in Sheffield, Yorkshire on the 3rd December 1918. Supporter of Sheffield United FC. Died 13 April 1940 (Battle of Narvik)

Rank: Able Seaman

Remarks: Able Seaman. RNVR. ESD/X 1729. (Survivor discharged to HMS Victory taking passage in HMS Rodney)

Rank: Signalman

Remarks: Signalman. October 1939 to March 1940?

Rank: Canteen Asssitant

Remarks: Canteen Assistant. October 1939 to March 1940?

Rank: Leading Signalman

Remarks: Leading Signalman. Transferred with Captain Vian from HMS Afridi. Was at the Altmark incident. Shown on ship’s book for the period October 1939 to March 1940?

Rank: Surgeon Lt

Remarks: Surgeon Lt. October 1939 to March 1940?

Rank: Able Seaman

Remarks: Able Seaman. October 1939 to March 1940?

Boyte Lane Walter Frederick
Rank: Lt Cdr
When Allotted: 31.08.39

Remarks: At the 2nd Battle of Narvik – praised in the Captain’s report. He won the DSC at Narvik & was Mentioned in Despatches for his service on HMS Warspite. ( London Gazette 34885 28 June 1940)

Engineer in Chief, Bath 1957, Director of Marine Engineering Admiralty 1958-1961. Retired a Rear Admiral. Walter Lane (1909-1988) Rear Admiral, CB, DSC.M.I Mech. E, M.I Mar. E.

Lt Cdr. (E) 31.08.39 to end April 1940.
At the 2nd Battle of Narvik – praised in the Captain’s report. He won the DSC at Narvik & was Mentioned in Despatches for his service on HMS Warspite. ( London Gazette 34885 28 June 1940).
Engineer in Chief, Bath 1957, Director of Marine Engineering Admiralty 1958-1961. Retired a Rear Admiral. Walter Lane (1909-1988) Rear Admiral, CB, DSC.M.I Mech. E, M.I Mar. E.
Son of Walter Herbert Lane, and Blanche Gertrude Adams, of Portsmouth, and Freshwater, Isle of Wight. Born 7.2.1909 and died 24.5.1988 in Winchester.
Married 15 August 1931) Gladys Anne Littlecott (1908-1991), daughter of Edwin Littlecott, of Southsea; one son Richard Lane. (Ealing London 2015)

Midshipman. (E) 15.09.1926
S.Lt. (E) 01.01.1929
Lt. (E) 01.11.1930
Lt.Cdr. (E) 01.11.1938
Cdr. (E) 30.06.1942
Capt. (E) 31.12.1950
R.Adm. 23.09.1957 (retd 20.01.1961)
CB 01.01.1960 New Year 60 [investiture 23.02.60]
DSC 28.06.1940 2nd Battle of Narvik [investiture 17.11.42]
MID 03.02.1942 Battle of Cape Matapan

Education: RN Engineering College & RN College.
1924 joined RN as an artificer apprentice at HMS Fishguard
1926 RNEC as a Midshipman apprentice (E)
HMS Barham
HMS Valiant
1933. Advanced Engineering course Greenwich –won Admiralty Prize
HMS MALAYA
1934 HMS Hermes – Senior Engineer
1936 Engineer – in Chiefs Department
31.08.1939 - (04.)1940 HMS Cossack (destroyer) (DSC)
27.05.1940 - (12.1941) HMS Warspite (battleship) (despatches)
(08.1942) no appointment listed
19.10.1942 - (07.1945) an Engineer Inspector, Department of the Engineer-in-Chief, Admiralty [HMS President]
1943 Commander to E-in-C Bath
(04.1946) Chatham dockyard –Assistant manager - design and development of the ASRI engine
..1948. - ... Director of Studies at the Royal Naval Engineering College Manadon
1950 Promoted to Captain serving with E.A.P.
March 1952 March 1954 SEO( Flotillas)
May 1954 Assistant E-in-C Technical Admiralty Bath—nuclear propulsion
1957 Deputy Engineer-in-Chief, Admiralty [HMS President] (Flag Rank)
01.10.1958 - 1961 Director of Marine Engineering, Admiralty [HMS President] (CB)

FIMechE, MIMarE.

Son of Walter Herbert Lane, and Blanche Gertrude Adams, of Portsmouth, and Freshwater, Isle of Wight. Born 7.2.1909 and died 24.5.1988 in Winchester.

Married 15 August 1931) Gladys Anne Littlecott (1908-1991), daughter of Edwin Littlecott, of Southsea; one son Richard Lane. (Ealing London 2015)

Documents:

Gallery:

Rank: Ordinary Seaman

Remarks: Ordinary Seaman. October 1939 to March 1940?

Hidden Gems

The HMS Cossack 1938-1941 was accepted on 10 June 1938 and dented, whilst coming alongside the jetty in Portsmouth on 12 June 1938.

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1806-1816

This is the account of the first vessel named HMS Cossack, a title that would be passed on to five later ships and commemorated by the Royal Navy in the Cossack Building at HMS Raleigh.

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1854-1875

The second Cossack was originally ordered by Russia for the Black Sea Fleet in December 1852 at a cost of 290,000 silver roubles. However, when relations between Britain and Russia deteriorated, Russia sold the vessels to the Hamburg trading firm Henry Mersk & Co.

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1886-1905

This account covers the third vessel named HMS Cossack. Launched on 3 June 1886 and in service until 1905, she spent the majority of her career in the Far East, calling at India, Aden, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and other ports.

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1907-1919

The fourth HMS Cossack received the first Battle Honour for participating in operations along the Belgian coast from 17 October to 8 November 1914. This section contains copies of the original construction contract and detailed plans showing her launch, deck arrangements, and machinery.

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1938-1941

Credited with battle honours including Baltic 1855, Witu 1890, Dover Patrol 1914–1919, Narvik 1940, Norway 1940, Atlantic 1940–1941, the Bismarck Action 1941, and the Malta Convoys 1941, the HMS Cossack in service from 1938 to 1941 was a formidable presence.

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1944-1960

During Warship Week in February 1942, the town of Esher raised £1,192,211, contributing to the construction of the warship HMS Cossack. The funds were collected by the public depositing money into a rubber-type float in a pool. Remarkably, the surplus was enough to fund a submarine as well. The story continues.

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